Metro Historic Commission Awards program
Friday March 8 is the deadline for the Metro Historic Commission Awards program. Neighbors can nominate properties that have been historically renovated or new properties that have been designed sensitive to the historic nature of the neighborhood. To be considered, nominated properties must be located in Davidson County and, with the exception of the infill construction category, must have been built no later than 1969. Infill projects should be no older than 2017. Categories for nominations include Residential Properties (single-family and multi-family), Commercial Buildings, Religious Properties, Engineering and Industrial Structures, Educational and Institutional Buildings, Monuments and Memorials, Infill Construction (NEW structures located within a context of historic architecture). For more information, contact scarlett.miles@nashville.gov
Murphy Road Mixed-Use Project
The Murphy Road mixed-use project is scheduled for Public Hearing on March 5 at the Metro Council meeting. Based on concerns from adjacent neighborhoods, the project was revised to include hotel, residential, and retail components at a maximum height equal to the Highwoods office building across Murphy Road. A new traffic signal at the I-440 entrance ramp and traffic improvements at the West End/ Murphy Road intersection are included in the Specific Plan requirements, as well as traffic calming measures for the Acklen/ Love Circle area. Neighbors are continuing to discuss improvements to building materials, greenway protections, and parking concerns, and the sponsor has agreed to deferred the bill again until April to work on these issues.
Tax Increment Financing Study Group
The Tax Increment Financing Study Group will hold a public hearing about this economic incentive tool on March 6, 2019, at 6:30 PM in the Council Chamber. The study group was formed by the Metro Council to evaluate the economic benefits or drawbacks of financing projects with future tax revenues through TIF. The goal of the meeting is to hear from the public about what they like and dislike about TIF, and about what changes they think should be made to how TIF works in Nashville. Currently TIF is used to incentivize development that might not otherwise take place, and that is perceived to have a public benefit. In the past, this has included some projects that have provided affordable housing or new jobs.
Daylight Savings Time
Daylight Savings Time begins this month. Set your clocks forward on March 10th.
Belmont Performing Arts Center Construction Project
The Belmont Performing Arts Center construction project is continuing with more water infrastructure in Belmont Blvd. and additional blasting to redirect Bernard Avenue to tie into Compton. Blasting will take place three times a day at 9:05, 11:05, and 1:05 with 3:05 as a make-up time. Parking on Belmont Blvd. will be limited during water project construction, but Belmont is working with the restaurants and local businesses to provide alternative parking.
Support Our Local Stores
Both the Belmont area and Hillsboro Village are experiencing challenges from construction projects as parking is impacted. While parking on the curve of Belmont Blvd. will be temporarily restricted during most of March, there is additional parking available behind most of the stores and restaurants access from the alley off Portland, and on the continuation of Belmont. Police and Metro Parking Patrol have been working in Hillsboro Village to enforce the 2 hour parking areas to keep spots open for customers. These two great retail areas are still going strong, despite the disruptions, so neighbors are encouraged to stop in and patronize our valued local businesses.
I-440 Construction
The I-440 Construction begins in earnest this month. Noise wall construction and lighting relocations from Murphy Rd. to Hillsboro Rd. are scheduled to be completed by the end of March. Ramp queue projects at Murphy Rd. and 21st Avenue should be done by the end of April. The contractor will begin reducing travel lanes in order to start removing the grass median through the entire corridor. This work will impact areas east of Interstate 65 first, but the lane restrictions will be in place along all seven miles of I-440 in the coming weeks. Traffic will be restricted to two travel lanes in each direction from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and one travel lane in each direction from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Interstate entrance ramps will be shortened and roadway shoulders will be narrowed or eliminated in most areas. Some interchange traffic patterns will be modified to accommodate construction. The speed limit has been lowered to 45 m.p.h. In order to keep two driving lanes available, the contractor has paved the existing roadway shoulders to use as a travel lane while construction is underway on the median and inside lanes. Since there will be no space to move disabled vehicles off the roadway, even a minor traffic incident will cause heavy backups throughout the corridor. TDOT will have response vehicles throughout the construction areas to deal with these quickly. At some point, the contractor will begin pounding the concrete to break it up as road bed for the future paving. This process will be limited to small areas, but will take place around the clock until an area is complete. The schedule for this extra noisy process will be published as soon as it is made available. Schedule information is tentative and subject to change. To check current traffic conditions and/or to view traffic cameras, click here.
Historic Guidelines
The Metro Historic Commission is working with representatives from each of the city’s historic zoning districts to consolidate the Historic Guidelines, where they are identical between districts, creating a separate chapter for each historic district calling out differences and unique aspects. The committee is also looking specifically at guidelines for outbuildings and detached accessory dwelling units and producing a pattern book that will allow for more flexibility and predictability. Representatives for District 18 include John Teselle, Lindsey Trella Moffatt, and Ira Chilton. For more information on the project, click here. There is also a website for public comment found here.
21st Avenue Corridor Study
The 21st Ave Corridor Study is continuing with review of the planning staff’s draft document by the Steering Committee. The draft consolidates comments from the community meetings held last fall and proposes possible design guidelines, zoning and policy changes, and infrastructure improvements. The draft will be posted on the Planning website after the steering committee comments are incorporated, and a new round of community meetings will take place to gather community feedback. The overarching goal is to make the corridor more of a bridge between the two neighborhoods by improving sidewalks and considering additional neighborhood-centric uses and building forms.
Brush Pick-Up
Brush pick-up begins in BHN, 12th South, and Sunnyside on March 29 and in HWEN on April 5. Remember that brush has to be pulled away from fences and utility poles so the grapple arm can get to it.
Conference For Neighborhoods
The Neighborhood Resource Center (now known as Neighbor 2 Neighbor) is planning the Conference for Neighborhoods (C4N) on April 13. Neighbors can sign up here.
In Conclusion
As spring approaches, I am looking forward to running into neighbors out in the district and hearing what is on your mind. Please feel free to contact me at burkleyforcouncil@burkley.org or 615-383-6604.
Regards,
Burkley Allen
Metro Council 18th District